Adams View helps to optimize time to inspect sub-assemblies for zoom lenses

Company:

Thales Angenieux

Products:

Adams

Industries:

Consumer Products

Overview:

The defining characteristic of a zoom lens is that its
focal length can be varied. The focal length determines
the angle of view — how much of the scene will be
captured — and the magnification —how large individual
elements will be. The shorter the focal length, the wider
the angle of view and the lower the magnification.
The advantage of zoom lenses over lenses with a
fixed focal length is that you don’t have to change
lenses to achieve a tighter or a wider composition.
Most zoom lenses, particularly those designed for
consumer and professional photographers, lose focus
when the focal length is changed. But high-end zoom
lenses, especially those designed for producing films
or television, can be zoomed in and out without losing
focus. This type of lens is called a parfocal lens. The
first parfocal lens capable of zooming in an out while
maintaining precise focus to a degree acceptable for
demanding cinema production was designed and
built by Pierre Angénieux in 1956, a feat for which he
received an Academy award for technical excellence. Parfocal zoom lenses are very difficult
to design and build. Zoom lenses
generally consist of three different
groups; two of them are moving together
(to change focal length) and the last
one independently (to focus) and one
stationary group of lenses with each group
comprising two of more lens elements.

Results Validation:

With the new method proven, Ayad
simulated all of the company’s zoom lenses
and found the worst-case position for each
lens. Now inspectors are able to inspect
the tilt simply by moving the lens to this
position and making the measurements.
The net result is that the time needed to
inspect each lens has been reduced.